Trolley-catcher.



No. 683,026. Patented sept. 24, 190|.'

c. l. EARLL.

TBULLEY CATCHER.

(Appuention mpd Feb. 2e, 1'901.) (No Model.)

no. 683,026. l

c. EAnLL.

TROLLEY cATcHE.

(Applcatiog led Feb. 28, 1901.) V

Patented Sept. 24, l90|.

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES I. EARLL, oF NEW YORK, N. Y.

TRO LLEY-CATCH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 683,026, datedSeptember 24, 1901.

Application led February 26, 1901. Serial No. 48,944. (No model.)

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES I. EARLL, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Trolley-Catchers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

My invention relates to trolley-catchers for electric cars which use theoverhead trolley, and has for its object to produce a device of thisclass which shall automatically take up the slack in the trolley-ropedue to the varying distance of the trolley-wire from the car andautomatically pull down the trolley-pole when from any cause it has leftthe wire.

My invention consists in providing a sheave or drum to which the end ofthe trolley-rope is attached, in attaching a relatively Weak spring tosaid drum, which acts to take up slack in the trolley-rope, in attachinga relatively strong spring to said drum, which is normally held in astrained condition, butinoperativeLto eect rotation of said drum, inproviding means for automatically putting said heavy spring intooperation when the trolley leaves the wire, and in other novel featuresand constructions, to be hereinafter more fully explained.

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification,Figure 1 is a transverse section on line a a of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is asection on line b b of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a partial section correspondingto Fig. 1, showing different operative'positions for the parts. Fig. 4is a partial end view. Fig. 5 is a partial cross-section through thecenter of the bolt 33.

Reference characters are used in the same sense in all of the figuresand the specification.

Numeral 1 represents a stationary support which is adaptedto be securedto the dash of the car in any convenient manner.

2 represents a cylindrical projection made integrally with the support1, which is adapted to be received in a corresponding socket (not shown)secured to the end of the car Lor in any other convenient manner.

3 represents internal ratchet-teeth formed in the support 1. 4represents a rib on the b aock of said support. r1

5 is ,an oil-hole in said 6 represents a case,preferably made of sheetmetal, which, with the support 1, incloses the mechanism of thetrolleycatcher, the said case 6Vbeing secured to the support 1 in anyconvenient manner, as by the screws v7.

8 represents a shaft journaled in the support 1 and in the case 6. Theshaft 8 pro` jects through the central hub 10 of the support 1 andreceives the spring-key 9, which is adapted to turn up and engage therib4to prevent the said shaft from turning. Mounted on the shaft 8 isthe drum 11, on which is wound the trolley-rope 12, the other end of thetrolley-rope being secured to the trolleypole near its end in the usualmanner.

13 represents a light spiral spring secured at its outer end to the drum11 and at its inner end to the sleeve 14, the said sleeve 14 beingitself secured to the shaft 8. This spring acts to wind up thetrolley-rope 12 with a slight tension, preferably just sufcent to takeup the slack in said trolley-rope.

The drum 11 is provided with the elongated hub or sleeve 15, which fitsfreely on the shaft 8. Mounted onthe sleeve 15 is the ro-l tatablemember or lever 16, which is provided with the elongated hub or sleeve17, the said sleeve 17 fitting freely over the sleeve 15 of the drum.

18 represents a relatively stiff spiral spring located within the drum11, having its outer end engaging the lug 19 on said drum and its innerend engaging the groove 32 of the sleeve 17 of the lever 16, so thatwhen the spring 18 is under strain or wound up and the lever 16 is heldagainst rotation the spring 18 tends to rotate the drum in a directionto wind up the trolley-rope 12. The lever' 16 is provided with the pin20, which carries the clutch or pawl 21. The said pawl 21 is providedwith the inner point 22, adapted to engage the tooth 23 on the flange 24of the drum 1l. The pawl 21 is provided with the point 25, which as saidpawl is thrown out of engagement with the tooth 23engages a t-ooth 3 ofthe sup.- port 1.V

26 represents a spring secured at one end to the lug 27 of the lever 16and at the other end to the pawl 2l, said spring tending to keep thepawl 21 in engagement with the iiange 24 of the drum. Secured to thepawl 21 is the pin 28, on which is mounted the cen- IOO I ley-wire fromthe car.

trii'ugal pawl 29. Secured to the lug 30 of the lever 16 is the spring31, which is also securedfto the centrifugal pawl 29 and tends to holdthe said centrifugal pawl against the lug 27.

33 is a bolt which is adapted to engage the end of the lever 16 whenpressed inwardly, but which is normally held out of engagement by thespring 34.

The operation of the device 'is as follows: When the parts are in theirnormal position, they are as represented in Figs. 1 and 2. Thecentrifugal pawl 29 is held against its banking 27, the pawl 21 engagesthe tooth 23 of the drum, and the spring 18 is under strain or tension,tending to rotate the drum 11 and the lever 16 in opposite direct-ions,thus tending to rotate the drum to the right, as seen in Fig. 1, to windup the trolley-rope 12 and tending to rotate the lever 16 to the left.This relative rotation of these two members is prevented by theengagement of the pawl 21 with the tooth 23 of the drum, and, as isevident, the drum and lever, together with the spring 18 and the pawls21 and 29, rotate together as though made of one piece. The spring 13acts at all times to wind up the trolley-rope, and it is made of justsufficient strength to prevent slack or looseness in the trolley-rope asthe trolley-wheel rises and falls due to the varying distance of thetrol- When, however, the trolley-wheel has from any cause left thetrolley-wire, it starts upward with a rapid increase of speed, which isof course transmitted to the drum 11. The sudden jerk and the increasedcentrifugal force acting upon the pawl 29 overcomes the tension of thespring 31 and permits the pawl 29 to swing outward and engage one of theteeth 3 of the internal ratchet formed in the support 1. This positionof the pawl 29 is illustrated by the full lines in Fig. 3. The continuedmovement of the lever 16 wheny the pawl 29 is in engagement with a tooth3 throws the pawl 21 out of engagement with the tooth on the drum landinto engagement with a tooth 3 of the stationary su pport, which bringsthe spring 18 into action and causes the trolley-rope to be wound up onthe drum 11, the spring 18 being made of sufficient strength to overcomethe upward pull ot the trolleypole when the trolley hasleft thetrolley-wire. The position of thelever 16 and the pawls 21 and 29 whenthis has occurred is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. The trolley poleand wheel are thus pulled down clear of the trolley-wire and itssupporting structure, thereby preventing the damage which would belikely to occur if the trolley-pole were allowed to strike the overheadstructure. To return the trolley to the wire, the trolley-rope is pulleddown a short distance, which allows the pawls 21 and 29 to return totheir normal position, the pawl 21 resting anywhere on the flange 24 andthe pawl 29 returning to its banking 27. The trolley-rope may then bewithdrawn from the trolley-catcher against the action of the lightspring 13 and the trolley replaced on the wire in the usual manner. Inthis condition the car may be at once started or continued in motionwithout loss of time. To again set the stiff spring 18, the bolt 33 ispressed in and the trolley-rope is pulled out. The drum 11 and lever 16will then revolve together until the lever 16 engages the bolt 33, whenthe further withdrawal of the rope will wind up or place under strainthe spring 18, the pawl 21 dropping into engagement with the tooth 23,leaving all of the parts in their normal position,as they wereoriginally. The tension of the spring 13 is readily adjusted by turningthe spring-key 9 outwardly, when the shaft 8 is no longer locked and maybe turned to increase or decrease the tension of said spring. It is thusseen that in this mechanism the drum is at all times under the action ofa relatively weak spring, tending to wind up the trolley-rope, and thatthere is, when the mechanism is in its normal condition, connected tothis drum a relatively strong spring, which is normally in a strainedcondition, one end of said spring being attached to the drum and theother to a rotatable member, which is clutched to the drum in such a waythat the relatively strong spring has no iniluence whatever on themotion of the drum, and when by a sudden jerk or increase of the speedof rotation of the drum the rotatable member to which the strong springis attached is released from the drum and clutched to the stationarysupport the drum is then under the action of the relatively strongspring, tending to wind up the trolley-rope.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim is l. In a trolleycatcher, the combination with a drum, of a lever pivoted concentricallywith said drum, a spring acting to cause said drum to rotate relativelyto said lever, a pawl mounted on said lever adapted to engage said drum,to cause the drum and lever to rotate together, and means forautomatically disengaging said pawl.

2. In a trolley-catcher, the combination with a drum, of a lever mountedconcentrically with said drum, a spring engaging said drum and saidlever tending to rotate them in opposite directions, a clutch connectingsaid drum and said lever, and means for automatically disengaging saidclutch.

3. In a trolley-catcher, the combination with a drum, of a leverconcentrically mounted with said drum,aspring engaging said drum andsaid lever to cause them to rotate in opposite directions, means forclutching said drum and said lever together against the action of saidspring.

4. In a trolleycatcher, the combination with a rotary drum, of a levermounted concentrically with said drum, a spring engaging said drum andsaid lever tending to cause them to rotate in opposite directions, meansIOO IIO

for clutching said drum and said lever together against the action ofsaid spring, and means for automatically unclutching said lever fromsaid drum and clutching it to a stationary member.

5. In a trolley-catcher, -the combination With a drum, and rotatablemember, mounted concentrically, ofa spring engaging said drum and saidrotatable member tending to rotate them in opposite directions, a clutchconnecting said drum and said rotatable member, and means forautomatically disengaging said clutch and holding said rotatable memberagainst rotation.

6. In a trolley catcher, the combination With a stationary support, of adrum and a rotatable member concentrically mounted, a

spring engaging said drum and said rotatable' member tending to rotatethem in opposite directions, a clutch mounted on said rotatable memberengaging either said drum or said stationary support, the engagementwith the one causing the disengagement of the other.

'7. In a trolleycatcher, the combination with a stationary support, of ashaft mounted in said support, a drum mounted on said shaft, a levermounted on the hub of said drum, a spring connecting said lever Withsaid drum, a pawl pivotally mounted on said lever normally engaging saiddrum, and means for automatically disengaging said paWl from said drum,and engaging it with said stationary support.

8. In a trolley-catcher, the combination With a stationary support of adrum mounted in said support, a rotatable member mounted concentricallywith said-drum, a spring connecting said drum and said rotatable membertending to rotate them in opposite directions, a pawl pivotally mountedon said rotatable member, normally engaging said drum, acentrifugally-controlled paWl pivotally mounted on said pawl, adapted byits engagement with said stationary support to disengage said paWl fromsaid rotatable member and engage it with said stationary support.

9. In a trolley-catcher, the combination With a iiXed support, of adrum, a spring normally under strain, having its one end in fixed, andits other end in releasable, engagement with said drum, and meanswhereby the releasable end of said spring is released from said drum andheld by said fixed support to drum and at its other end to said shaft,and

means for turning and locking in position said shaft to adjust thestrain of said spiral Spring.

l1. In a trolley-catcher, the combination with a stationary support, ofa shaft mounted in said support, a drum revolubly mounted on said shaft,a relatively strong spring normally under strain, adapted to beautomatically released to rotate said drum and a relatively Weak spiralspring having its outer end secured to said drum and its inner endsecuredto said shaft.

12. In a trolley-catcher, the combination With a stationary support, ofa shaft mounted in said support, a drum revolubly mounted on said shaft,a relatively strong spring normally under strain, adapted to beautomatically released to rotate said drum, a relatively Weak spiralspring, having its outer end secured to said drum and its inner endsecured to said shaft and means for turning and locking said shaft toadjust said relatively weak spring.

13. In a trolley-catcher, the combination with a stationary support, ofa drum mounted in said support, a rotatable member mountedeoncentrically with said drum,4 a spring secured to said drum and saidrotatable member tending to rotate them in opposite directions, a paWlmounted on said rotatable member, a spring acting on said paWl tendingto hold it in engagement With said drum, a centrifugally-actuated pawlpivotally mounted on said first-named pawl, a ratchet on said stationarysupport, adapted to be engaged by said centrifugally-actuated pawl torelease said first-named paWl from said drum and throw it intoengagement with said stationary support. h

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES I. EARLL;

Witnesses:

C. F. CARRINGTON, EDW. B. HAWKINS.

